A resource allocator allocates a plurality of resources among a plurality of tasks within a process system. The resource allocator includes a monitoring controller for monitoring one or more characteristics associated with at least one application process, the resources, and the tasks. The resource allocator also includes a model of the process system representing mathematically the resources and the tasks and defining relationships among related resources and tasks. The resource allocator further includes a resource allocation controller for operating the model in response to the monitored characteristics and allocating the resources among the tasks. In addition, the resource allocator includes a graphical user interface for identifying the resources and flows between at least some of the resources. The graphical user interface includes at least one virtual queue associated with at least one of the resources and identifying one or more items to be processed by the at least one resource.